Method of treating molten substances, such as metals



Dec. 17, 1940. s. JUNGHANS ,22

METHOD OF TREATING MOLTEN SUBSTANCES, SUCH AS METALS Filed March 31, 71938 3 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 17,1940. s, JUNGHANS 2,225,414

METHOD OF TREATING MOLTEN SUBSTANCES, SUCH AS METALS Filed March 31, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 vi M? Dec. 17, 1940. s, JUNGHANS 2,225,414

METHOD OF TREATING MOLTEN' SUBSTANCES, SUCH AS METALS Filed March 31, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 17, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF TREATING MOLTEN SUB- STANCES, SUCH AS METALS Application March 31, 1938, Serial No. 199,168 In Germany April 1, 1937 Claims.

In the treatment of substances, and more particularly metals, in the molten condition it has been found desirable to perform this treatment on such lines that merely comparatively small quantities of the substance or metal concerned are subjected to the said treatment at one time. The treatment in question, which is carried out in a continuous operation, refers more particularly to the treatment of a molten substance by m gases or to the production of alloys. It will be readily appreciated that in this manner by the progressive treatment of small quantities a more even treatment of a large amount can be brought about than in the manner hitherto usual, in

which the total amount has been treated in one operation.

In this method the procedure is such that for example in a mold of suitable design merely a small quantity of the substance or metal to he treated in the molten condition is maintained in such condition by suitable regulation of the temperature, whilst the remaining amount, for example in the case of metals, has already solidified. The molten substance subsequently added can be introduced in desired fashion, but preferably by means of a suitable conduit or the like. In this connection it is necessary in order to avoid turbulence upon the introduction of the substance to provide means so that the addi- 3o tional substance does not pass to the gradually solidifying substance direct, but is first supplied to an intercepting member, such as a plate, pot or the like, which brings about a variation in the direction, and thus conveys the fresh material 35 to the gradually solidifying substance in gentle movement.

Upon this deflection it is also accomplished at the same time that any irregularities in the added substance resulting from the treatment by the 40 gases or in the composition are eliminated by the mixing action taking place.

It has been found that in numerous cases a simple baflle plate, pot or the like is not suflicient to cause complete. homogeneity of the fresh sub- 45 stance added when the latter enters into contact with the gradually solidifying substance.

To overcome this drawback the interception member according to the invention causes not only a variation in the direction but also a roo tatlon of the freshly added substance in order in this way to obtain a good homogeneity. The intercepting member or a part of the same may have a rotary motion imparted thereto either by the kinetic energy of the inflowing material or by u mechanical means.

It is also possible to provide the intercepting member, pot or the like with a centrifugal action, and to furnish the same with vanes or the like, so that the substance flowing from a nozzle has a variation in its direction imparted thereto 0 by reason of the rotating vanes and is deflected towards the walls of the mold, from where it passes into the mold itself. In this way a good homogeneity of the product is obtained. At the same time, by the aid of a suitable circumferenl0 tial velocity, it can also be accomplished that the molten substance is flung by the vaned head against the walls of the surrounding mold, and if provision is made for a suitable cooling of these walls, so that .the substance solidifies in contact 15 with the same, a chilled casting is naturally obtained.

Certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings. 20

Fig. 1 shows in longitudinal section an embodiment of the intercepting member with eccentric inflow of the molten material.

Fig. 1A is a cross section of the intercepting member of Fig. 1. 25

Fig. 2 shows in longitudinal section a modified form of embodimentin which the molten substance is introduced centrally.

Fig. 2a is a cross section of the intercepting member according to Fig. 2.

Figs. 3 and 4 are longitudinal sections of modified forms of the invention.

Figs. 3a and 4a are plan views of the rotatable members illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, respectively.

Figs. 5 and 50. show in longitudinal section and in cross-section an embodiment of the interception member, in which the latter is constructed as a rotating pot.

Figs. 6 and 6a. show similar arrangements.

Figs. 7 and 8 show an embodiment similar to Figs. 5 and 6, with the difierence that the lower part of the pot is capable of being cooled.

Figs. 9 and 9a. illustrate embodiments in longitudinal section and in plan respectively of the rotating element in which the intercepting memher is designed as a motor-driven turbine.

Figs. 10 and 10a are a longitudinal section and plan respectively of the rotating part of an interception member similar to that in Figs. 9 and 90., but in which the operation is brought about by the inflowing substance.

In the embodiment according to Figs. 1 and 10. there is provided within the mold l a pot 2, in which there is mounted an additional pot 4 furnished about its inner periphery with vanes 3.

operates on similar lines.

Iccentrically to the pot 4 there is provided the conduit I through which the molten substance is introduced in the direction of the arrow 6 at a certain speed which will depend upon the nature of the substance and the rate at which it solidifies. Owing to the inflow of the substance into the pot 4 the latter is set into rotation in the direction of the arrow 1 by the action of the substance on the obliquelydisposed vanes I (see Fig. 1a). The rotation thus brought about; causes the substance to be well agitated, so that the further substances added, such as other metals or gases, are caused to be intimately mixed with the basic substance within the comparas tively small quantity contained in the pots 4 and 2. The molten substance thus treated then passes over the edge of the pot 2 into the mold in a steady flow without producing turbulence, so that the solidifying action is not impaired.

The embodiment according to Figs. 2 and 2a In thiscase the substance is supplied centrally instead ofeccentrically, the conduit I for the molten substance being disposed in the central axis of the co-axially arranged pots land ill and being extended with its orifice almost to the bottom of the pot II, which carries at its upper end the vanes ii, so that the upwardly flowing substance causes the pot ill to rotate and thus brings about the agitation essential for proper mixing. Fig. 2, moreover, shows schematically how the casting that has been produced is drawn continuously out of the mold I2. The molten metalintroduced into it through the cup is still fluid in the upper part, but solidifies as it moves downward. On emerging from the mold 12 it has already solidified. This solidified part I3 is gripped by the conveyor rollers, and ,drawn downward. This conveyor mechanism is, of course, used in all forms of the invention.

In the embodiment according to Figs.,3 and 3a there is provided in place of a pot an intercepting member I5, which likewise prevents the substance from passing into the mold direct through the conduit l6 and thus causing a turbulence in the substance already in the mold.

The intercepting member I! is furnished with curved vanes ll, so that it is set into rotation by the inflow of the substance- At the same time the substance entering vertically is deflected in a more orless horizontal direction, and at the same time is agitated and well mixed withany other substances which may be added, and at the same time the substance is prevented from causing turbulence in the mold itself. Owing to the rotation of the member ii the moltensubstance is to a certain extent flung against the walls of the mold, so thatalso in this manner a good mixing with other substances which may have been added is brought about.

The operation is also similar in the embodiment according to Figs. 4 and 4a, inwhich the intercepting member 18 is furnished with obliquely disposed vanes l9 and the feed conduit 2|, as in Fig. 1, is disposed eccentrically. The rotation takes placein the direction of the arrow 2|.

Figs. 5 and 54; show in longitudinal section and in cross-section respectively 'a pot-like intercepting member 22,which is furnished at the upper end with an annular flange 22 running in a ball bearing 24. In this ball bearing the pot" ,can be set intorapid rotation by any desired up by the rotating hot 22 and flung through the furnished withia cooled portion 20,to which a desired cooling, agent can be fed through the pipe 80. The consumed cooling agent is discharged through the pipe 8|. Apart from this the arrangement of the pot is exactly as described in conjunction with Figs. 5 andfia and similar reference numerals, are applied to corresponding parts.

Figs. 6 and 6a showan embodiment of the pot, inwhich the sole difference as compared with Fig. 5 consists in the fact that the molten substance is introduced into the pot from the conduit 2| not through longitudinal slots (Fig. 5), but through perforations 2|.

The embodiment according to Fig. 8 corresponds to that in Fig. 6 with the difference that the pot 22 in this embodiment is furnished with cooling means 2., which maybe supplied and dischargedthroughthe medium ofpipes 30 and 3|, as in the embodiment according to Fig. 7.

Figs. 9 and 90 show an additional embodiment for the production of chilledcastingsi In this substance, for examplemolten metal, is supplied in the usual fashion through the pipe 31 on the periphery of the turbine. When the substance lmpingeson the intercepting member, there occurs a variation in the direction, and the metal is flung againstathe cooled walls 38 of the mold.

A similar embodiment is illustrated in Figs. and 10a, the difference as compared with that in Figs. 9 and 9:: consisting solely in the fact that in thiscase themechanical drive 35, 28 in Fig. 9 is dispensed with. The intercepting member 29 is set into motion solely by the molten substance entering by way of the conduit Ill, this substance impinging on the plates ll of the turbine (Fig. 10) and causing the turbine to rotate. In thiscase the substance is also flung against the cooled wall 42.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 10 the molten substance is protected at the top against I the atmosphere by acovering means 42, which may consist, for example, of a liquid salt, oil, water or the like.

With the forms of construction according to Figs. 3 to 10 itis possible to operate in two different ways. On the one hand the cupor the bladed wheel may be caused to rotate above the surface of the fluid metal in the mold, so that the molten metal isthrown against the walls of the mold. Tubing is thus produced in continuous centrifugal casting.

On the other hand however, the cup or the bladed wheel may be kept below the surface of the molten metal poured into the mold. In this case also a centrifugal action is obtained, this action however acts to densify the metal at the inner surface of the mold a What I claim as new and Letters Patent is: i

1. Devicefor' the continuous casting of molten materials, comprising a casting mold, a rotating cup immersed ,inthe molten material in the mold below the surface of the molten material, said cup having vanes adapted to stir the molten material and to divert the molten metal away from the point of solidification as it enters said casting mold, and an inflow channel for the desire to secure by molten'material, which is disposed eccentrically relatively to the cup.

2. Device for the continuous casting of molten materials, comprising a casting mold, an inflow channel for the molten material, a rotating cup immersed in the mol'ten material in the mold below the surface of the molten material, said cup being adapted to stir the molten material and to divert molten material away from the.

introducing molten material into an open ended casting mould, maintaining a head of molten metal in the upper end of said mould, said metal being poured into an intercepting element immersed in the molten metal head below the surface thereof, and simultaneously imparting to said'intercepting' element a rotary motion relative to said mould whereby said head of molten metal is stirred and mixed to maintain uniform conditionsabove the point of solidification.

L 4. Apparatus for the continuous casting of molten materials for producing castings comprising, an open ended casting mould, an inflow channel for molten materials, means immersed in the molten material in the mould below the surface of the molten material and disposed in the path of the material flowing from said channel adapted to stir the molten material in the mould and to divert said flow away from the point of solidification, said means being mounted for rotation relative to said mould.

5. Apparatus for the continuous casting of molten materials for producing castings comprising, an open ended casting mould, an inflow channel for molten material, means immersed in the molten material in the mould below the surface of the molten material and disposed in the path of the material flowing from said channel adapted to stir the molten material in the mould and to divert said flow away from the point SIEGFRJED JUN GHANS. 

